Bernice j



RANSMITTER.

(No Model.)

B. J. NOY

MULTIPLE SIGNAL T Patented May 21, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICEt BERNICE J. NOYES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W.

GREGORY, OE SAME PLACE.

MULTIPLE SIG NALQTRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 539,701, dated May 21, 1895.

I Application filed November 4, 1890- Serial No. 370,294- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNICE J. NOYES,-Of Boston, county of Sutfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Multiple Signal-Transmitters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a municipal signaling apparatus in which a series of sub-stations or boxes are in electrical communication with a main or central station, apparatus being provided in the main and sub-stations whereby intercom munication may be had, one

form of which is shown and described in- United States Patent No. 344,467, dated June 29, 1886, wherein devices are provided for turning in various signals from the sub-stato tions, some of which are characterized as speing a shaft rotated by a suitablemotor, a series of break-wheels on the shaft, springs or contact pens normally disengagedfrom the break wheels, but adapted to be pressed into engagement therewith, one at a time, by a se- 5 lecting shaft or drum having projections which in their different angular positions act on the different springs or pens, the selecting shaft being provided with a pointer co-operating with a dial, to indicate the different sig- 4o nals that will be transmitted in the different positions of the pointer, the different signals being the numbers of the sub-stations communicating with the central station. An apparatus of this kind is of great value, but it 5 is expensive, and requires great nicety of ad justment to operate properly, and furthermore, a wrong number is sometimes transmitted by moving the pointer to one side or the other of the proper number indicated on the dial, and it is further objectionable in that the circuit is completed through the con tact springs and break-wheels, as the sparking which frequently occurs upon the disengagement of a wheel and its spring acts to burn or pit the wheel and spring, which latter has to be filed or otherwise treated to put it in proper operating condition.

This invention has for its object particularly the production of a multiple signal-transmitter free fromthe objections set forth, admitting of rapid adjustment, and simple in construction.

In accordance therewith my invention consists, in a multiple signal transmitter, of a units and a tens group of rotatable signal wheels, a normally opening signal key for and adapted to be closed by each signal wheel, and a motor to rotate said wheels in unison, combined with a selecting device including a series of normally open contacts in electrical 7o connection with a battery, a branch wire leading from one member of each key to a group of said contacts, a single wire leading from the other member of all the keys to the battery circuit, and means for closing any one of the contacts of the selecting device, whereby.

a circuit is completed through one of the signaling keys at each revolution of the wheels, substantially as will be described.

Other features of this invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 shows, in plan view, a multiplesignal transmitter embodying this invention;

Fig. 2, a view showing the signal-wheels, and Figs. 3 and 4 details to be referred to.

' I have herein shown the various parts of the apparatus embodying my invention as supported upon a suitable base-plated, of insulating'material, which has arranged on it suitable bearings for a shaft a on which a series of signal wheels are fixed. The signal wheels, as herein shown, are represented in two groups, a tens group, as 15, t 25 25 ,15 29 ,6 t t and a unit group, as t, 25 25 W, 5 t", 25 See Figs. 1 and 2. A motor mechanism m, of any suitable construction, is employed to rotate this shaft one or more revolutions, as desired, said motor being herein shown as wound by moving the operating 10o lever in one direction, and as operating the shaft as the train spends its force.

A bar 13 ot conducting, material issecured to the frame above the signal wheelsand extending the length of the series, it being provided with a series of screws 1), one corresponding to each signal wheel, said screws serving as contact points and projecting below the under side of the bar. v

A series of lever c are arranged loosely on a rod 0, see Figs. 1 and 3, suitably insulated and secured to the frame, there being one lever for each signal wheel. These levers a normally rest on a supporting rod 0 and each 1ever has a pin, as 0 projecting from it laterally at the end opposite its pivotal point and which lies in the path of movement of the teeth of the signal wheels. The levers c are arranged beneath the contact points or screws b", and are eachprovided with a suitable contact, which, when liftedby the signal wheel in revolving strikes it and closes the circuit at this point, the circuits, hereinafter described, being normally open atsuch points.

The series of levers c andcontacts (2' constitute thecircuit closers or signaling keys to co-operatewith the signal wheels, as will be described.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen thatthe signal wheels, which are therein shown as in their relative positions when fast on the shaft a, are so arranged that the projections of the] unit group of wheels, i to 25 inclusive, will be brought one after another into engagement with their respective levers c to close the circuits at the corresponding contacts b, during one-half of a revolution of the shaft;- and the projections of the tens group, t to 25 inclusive, will similarly operateduring the other half of the revolution. It is thus evident that eachtiine the motor m isoperated the shaft a will revolve, and all thesignal wheels will operate their respective signaling keys once for each complete revolution of the shaft. r s 1 j A device, herein shown as j a switchboard, and which willnow be described, is provided, by which any one particular signal can be transmitted, the particular signals in this in stance of my invention consisting of the numbers froml to 99 inclusive, with the exception of the number 10 and its multiples. This switch board, as shown in Fig. 1, isalso supported on the base a and consists of a series of contact plates or bars (2 joined or electrically connected together at one end, and

connected by a wire 6' to one side of the battery B. i

Secured to the base-plate I have shown a series of contact plates, as e connected by a branch wire i with the lever c that co operates with the signal wheel i afseries 0t, contact plates e which are connected bya branch wire i to the lever c which co-operates with the signalwheel t i-aseries of contact plates e which are connected by a branch wire '5 with the] lever c which co-operates with the signal wheel 15 a series of contact plates a which are connected by a branch wire 1' with the lever c which co-operates with the signal wheel i a series of contact plates e which are connected by a branch wire 71 to the lever c which co-operates with the signal Wheel a series of contact plates e which are connected by a branch wire i to the lever c which co operates with the signal wheel t; a series of contact plates a which are connected by a branch wire i to the lever c which cooperates with the signal wheel t"; a series of contact plates e which are connected by a branch wire i to the lever c which co-operates with the Signal wheel if; and a series of contact plates. c which are connected by a branch wire to the lever c which cooperates with the signal wheel 19", the contact plates e to e inclusivebeiug thus shown as in connection electricallywith the signaling keys operatedby the unit group of signal wheelsj to 15 This switch board also has a series of contact plates at formingfa part thereof, adjacent to the second group of contact plates c to e inc1usive,and connected by a branch wire 0 to the lever c which cooperates with the signal wheel t; contact plates n adjacent to the third group c to e and connected by a branch wire 0 to the lever c which co-operates with the signal .wheelifl wire 0 to the leverc which co-operates with l contact plates 02 adjacent to the fourth group e to c and connected by a branch wire 0 to too the signal wheel t contact plates n adjacent to the sixth group 6 to e, and connected by a branch wire of to the lever c which co-operates with the signalwheel t contact plates 72 adjacent to the seventh group e 10 e and connected by a branch wire 0 to the lever c which co-operates with the signal wheel '6; contact plates 17, adjacent to the eighth group e to 6 and connected by the branch wire 0' to the lever c which co-operates with the signal wheel 75 contact plates n adjacent to the ninth group e to 6 and connected by a branch wire 0 to the lever c which co-oper' ates with the signal wheel 25". Contact plates n adjacent to the tenth group e to c and connected by a branch wire 0 to the lever c which co-operates with the signal wheel 25?; these latter contact plates at, n, 850., and the branch wires electrically connecting with the levers of the signaling keys operated by the tens group of signal wheels 15 to The contact plates are arranged as usual in switch boards, around a hole or socket, into which the plug represented in Fig. 4, may be placed to connect the contact plates. As herein shown the contact plates are arranged in parallel rows, see Fig. 1, adjacent to the contact plates or bars e, the numbers from 1 to 99, exclusiveof lO'and its multiples, being preferably indicated on the switch board, and for the two-figure numbers the contact platesof theunitgroup are arranged beside the contact plates of the tens group, so that one branch of the units group series and one of the tens group series may each be closed at one time by the plug .to thus transmit a two-figure number. t

From an inspection of the drawings it-will be clear that the bar I) is always connected with the battery B by the wire u, and the contact plates or bars 6 are also always connected with the battery by wire e, and that each branch circuit or wire i i &c., is normally open at the contacts 6 6 &c., and also at the contact b of the corresponding lever 0, each circuit 0, &c., being normally open at the contacts n, n, &c., and also at the contacts of the corresponding levers c, and in order to transmit any number the circuit in the branchv connecting bar I) to plates 6 must be closed at one of the contacts I) and by the insertion of a plug in the hole corresponding to that number. To transmit signal N o. 9, for instance, the plug will be inserted in the switch board at 9, thus'elosing one normally open point in a branch circuit and the motor will be operated to rotate the signal wheels, and the circuit will be closed by the signal wheel t at the other normally open point, so that the current will pass from the battery B over the wire e, plug, inserted at 9, contact plates 6 and e branch wire i ,lever eraised by wheel 15 contact 6', bar 5, and return to the battery B by the wire it, all the other branch wires being open. To transmit the signal No. 29, the plug will be inserted in the switch board at 29 closing one normally open point in each of two branches, and the motor will be operated.

In the first half of the revolution of the shaft a the current passes from the battery B over the wire e", contact plate 6, contact plate n, branch wire 0, lever c, which is operated by the signal wheel 25 corresponding contact 1), closing the second open point of one branch, bar b,and wire u; and in thelast half of the revolution, over the wire 6, contact plate 6,

contact plate 6 branch wire 2' lever c, op-

erated by the signal wheel t and contact 1), bar I), and wire to. It will thus be seen without further description that any number represented on the switch can be transmitted by placing the plug in the hole or socket corresponding to such number, so that a wrong number can only be sent by putting the plug in the wrong socket, a mistake very much less likely to occur than moving a pointer too far or not enough, in the desire to send the sig: nal out as soon as possible.

By the construction hereinbefore set forth the current is never passed through the signal wheels or their shaft, and the screw form of the contacts 1) makes them rapidly and individually adjustable, so that should any pitting occur, it will be very easy to readjust the contacts as necessary. 7

The construction of the switch board is simple and effective, and doesaway with the great nicety of adjustment necessary in selecting rolls or drums.

, It is evident that, while the whole apparatus is herein shown mounted upon a single base, the signal wheels and keys could be mounted on one base and the selecting switch board on another one.

Any suitable receiving instrument may be employed in the circuit to'receive the signals transmitted, that forming no part of my invention herein described.

I claiml. A multiple signal transmitter consisting of a units and a tens group of rotatable signal wheels, a normally open signaling key for and adapted to be closed by each signal wheel,

the other member of all the keys to the battery circuit, and means for closing any one of the contacts of the selectingdevice, whereby a circuit is completed through one of the signaling keys at each revolution of the wheels, substantially as described.

2. A multiple signal transmitter consisting of a units and a tens group of rotatable signal wheels, and a signaling key for and to be operated by each signal wheel, and means to rotate the groups of wheels in unison, and branch wires leading from one of the members of each signaling key, combined with switches consisting of series of contact plates, one of the members of each signal key being connected by branch wires to one of the series, the other members of all the keys being connected to the battery, other contact plates connected to the battery circuit, and a movable plug to connect one of the latter plates with one or more plates of the series, substantially as described.

,In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNIOE J. NOYES. Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, EMMA J. BENNETT. 

